Following the internship of Rose Amélie Owen, WACTAF is pleased to welcome another student from the University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom) as part of its academic partnership with the prestigious institution. Since 17 June 2026, Senna A, a Master’s student in International Development, has been undertaking a research internship focusing on cross-border trade and women’s economic empowerment.
Introduced to the staff of the WACTAF Permanent Secretariat during a friendly welcome session, the young researcher had the opportunity to learn about the organization, its various departments, and its initiatives aimed at promoting trade facilitation and economic integration across West Africa and the Sahel.
This professional immersion forms part of her final dissertation research. Her study will focus on cooperatives supported by WACTAF and their impact on women traders operating in the Hanoukopé market in Lomé.
The research will examine how these cooperatives influence women’s participation in economic activities, their access to resources, and their representation within cooperative governance mechanisms. It will also explore the opportunities these structures provide while highlighting the challenges and constraints that women traders continue to face in their daily activities.
Over the coming days, Senna A will participate in several field activities, particularly within the framework of the ECOWAS Regional Fortnight dedicated to women’s cross-border trade. This phase will enable her to engage directly with women traders before launching data collection activities at the Hanoukopé market.
Her programme will also include meetings with various public institutions involved in trade, mobility, security, agriculture, and higher education, reflecting the multidisciplinary and institutional dimensions of this research initiative.
